March for World Day in the Fight Against HIV & AIDSToday, Thursday Dec 1 Starting at the Senior Citizen Facility and ending at the Bicentennial Dome in La Gloria at 5pm. Wear red. There will be a Health Fair at the dome, offering quick, free, anonymous testing for HIV, as well as other services.

Suspensions of electrical services in downtown Isla Mujeres on Thursday due to work by the CFE between 8am an 2pm along Medina, Matamoros, Allende, and Nicolas Bravo.
Suspenderán suministro elétrico en primer cuadro de Isla Mujeres este jueves por trabajos de la CFE - http://www.tvislamujeres.com.mx/suspenderan-suministro-ele…/

More than 300 athletes will be running in front of the Caribbean Sea of Isla Mujeres on Sunday in the Quiqui Run Series. It starts at 7:30 from Punta Sur. They arrive to the Garrafon dock and will run along the Caribbean coast.
Más de 300 atletas correrán frente al Mar Caribe de Isla Mujeres el próximo domingo en el "Quequi Run Series" - http://www.tvislamujeres.com.mx/mas-de-300-atletas-correra…/

Maintenance begun on drainage systemInician mantenimiento de la red pluvial. [+] Ver mas
To prevent flooding, work is being done on the storm drain system including clearing the absorption wells and replacing broken grates. The Mayor toured the system and inspected the drains and grates that have problems in downtown and the colonias, and spoke about his administration's commitment to these types of repairs and maintenance, for the benefit of the community and in response to citizen complaints.

Property tax discountsDescuentos en el pago del predial . [+] Ver mas
Discounts in property tax payments will be offered in December, January, and February of 25, 15, and 10 percent, respectively. There is a 50 percent discount for members of the following unions: Sindicato del Colegio de Bachilleres, Maestros (SNTE), de Salud, Sutsaim, Sepomex, Sutage and Telecom. There are requirements including verification of the property and to not exceed 20,000 minimum daily salary units (72p). There are also discounts for the elderly and other certain parties. This begins December 1.
The City expects to collect 48.3 million pesos in property tax for the year 2017, according to the 2017 Budget (Law of Income/Ley de Ingreso) that the City Council submitted to the legislature, which has a financial ceiling of 366.3 million pesos, which is 23% more than the current fiscal year.

Punta Sur structure at risk of fallingParador de punta sur en riesgo de caer [+] Ver mas Juan
Alcaraz, who frequently visits Punta Sur with groups of visitors, recommended that the Punta Sur Turistic Parador should be inspected, following the collapse of the palapa at the park Las Iguanas. The proximity of the sea makes the steel plates vulnerable, which join the wooden structure together. Thousands of tourists visit the area daily. There are also concerns about the Mundaca palapa.

Kitchenette in small room, Medio. There's a table & chairs across from it & a double bed.

A large slider
opens from each of the 3 rooms onto the patio where each has a table
& chairs, hammock & clotheslines. The BBQ is behind the pole,
and the outdoor shower is outa the pic at left.

Large studio (Norte), I'm standing in the kitchen. A queen & single bed.

Free
amenities such as
hammocks,
bikes, outdoor shower,
portable beach
chairs &
beach towels,
washer, loungers.
Breathtaking
panoramic views from the
rooftop terrace. Upstairs room also available.Downtown
is ~ a mile away; if
you don't feel like
walking or biking, flag a $2 taxi. Parking. You can enjoy the music & crowds downtown, then
come home our
quiet neighborhood of Bachilleres where you'll sleep to the sounds of the sea.. $275/$325/$425 wk $40/50/$65nt Monthly Discounts

Fine
dining a few steps away at Da Luisa or try the
traditional neighborhood eateries a couple blocks farther. Stroll
five minutes southward down the coastal sidewalk to Mango
Cafe, Bahama Mama, Brisas, or Manolitos. Walk less than 10 minutes
southwest to shop at
Chedraui or to dine at Green Verde, Kash Kechen Chuc, or other options.
Visit marinas, bars, & beach
clubs that are minutes away by bike or on foot. Our guests recommend the
Yoga classes a couple villas away at hotelito Casa
Ixchel. Fresh juice, produce & tortillas a few blocks
away in the village, as well as a
variety of other stores and small local restaurants.

Events at the end of the runway, in front of the car ferry
Thursday, Dec. 1 Horse procession (12p), and a performance by horses & a band (4p).
Friday, Dec. 2 Bullfight (4:30)
Saturday, Dec. 3 Rodeo with a band (4:30).
Sunday, Dec. 4 Bullfight (4:30)
Thursday, Dec. 8 Bullfight with dwarfs (8p).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dec. 1 Artist Fair 4-9 Casa Cultura

Thursday Dec 1 March for World Day in the Fight Against HIV & AIDS starting at the Senior Citizen Facility and ending at the Bicentennial Dome in La Gloria at 5pm. Wear red. There will be a Health Fair at the dome, offering quick, free, anonymous testing for HIV, as well as other services.

Dec. 4 "Charlie & Friends" Marathon 7:30 & 7:45a

Dec
12 Day of Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron Saint. Annually, there
is a celebration the night before at the Chapel Guadalupana in
Meteorolgocia (which overlooks the Caribbean, across from Mango cafe),
with singing of Las Mananitas. People honor her with pilgrimages and
efforts of endurance, such as the annual run around the island held on
this day.. There is usually a procession in the afternoon with children
dressed up as Juan Diego, shepherds, and shepherdesses, that may also
have horses. Usually between the Chapel Guadalupana to the downtown
church. I will update this info when it is available. Juan Diego saw the vision of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the hill at Tepeyac, 485
years ago. See article below.

Thursday, Dec. 15 Artist Fair Casa de la Cultura 4-9

Dec. 21 Solstice

Dec, 16-24 Posadas Navidenas... There is usually a children's Posada play during this time. Last day of school Link to general posada infoDuring the Posadas, there is usually a dance on the town square,
featuring regional dances & costumes from different states of Mexico. The schools may have Posada plays (renactments of Mary & Joseph being refused shelter. Posada means 'inn'.)

Just
before Christmas, the government sponsors a procession of decorated
carts and vehicles with a Santa going thru the colonias, playing music
tossing candy and small toys, There is also one by the residents,
foreign & local, that is planned again this year. Previously, we've
gathered just south of Bachilleres where the street is wide. Dates TBA.
There is a decorated boat parade annually at Cancun.

The
DIF (social service organization) usually collects toy donations for a
big give away, as does Rueben's restaurant, where you can drop off
donations now. Dates TBA. Kids in Mexico receive presents on King's
Day/Dia de los Reyes on Jan. 6.

Dec. 24 Noche Buena / Christmas Eve Ultramar ferry is usually cancelled after ~11p,
as well as the first crossing Christmas morn. Some businesses are not
open in the evening, because families are celebrating together. I will
update the ferry info when it becomes available

Dec. 25 Dia de Navidad / Christmas Day

Usually around this time the annual Quinceaneras
event and Mass are held at the Church of Immaculate Conception for young women
who turned 15 during 2015 and who wear beautiful gowns. More
info TBA when available

Dec. 28 Dia de los Santos InnocentesA day of practical jokes, similar to "April Fool's Day"

Dec.
31 New Year's Eve Festival on the Town Square with live music and fireworks. Tables can be reserved in advance, with information TBA. The last and first ferries are usually suspended. People observe the
sunrise at Punta Sur on New Year's morn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Día de Guadalupe is an important holiday in Mexico According
to accounts published in both Nahuatl and Spanish in the
1600s, the image of the Virgin Mary appeared to the indigenous peasant,
Juan Diego, in the hills of Tepeyac in the outskirts of Mexico City on
December 9, 1531, when Juan Diego was on his way to the city
from his village. (Later she appeared to his sick uncle also.) The dark-skinned young
woman was surrounded by light & spoke in Nahuatl, telling Juan
Diego that a
church should be built in her honor at the top of Tepeyac hill, where
there had once been an Aztec Temple to the goddess Tonantzin. But when Juan Diego related this to the Spanish archbishop, the cleric didn’t believe him and told him to go back
to Tepeyac and ask the Virgin for a miracle. The Virgin told Juan Diego to gatherroses from the
top of the hill (unseasonably and in an area of cactus & scrub). She helped arrange the flowers in Juan Diego’s
tilmátli (cloak), and he carried them back to Mexico City.
When he arrived on December 12 and opened his tilmátli in
front of the archbishop, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe had been
imprinted onto the cloak. The tilmátli with the imprint is still on
display at the Basilica de Guadalupe, one of the most visited shrines in
the world.Celebrating New Year's in Isla Mujeres

To celebrate New Year's Eve, many Isleno families set up tables in the streets with pinatas strung overhead, and dine on turkey stuffed with seasoned ground meat, while others crowd the Town Square for live music, dancing, and fireworks. Each neighborhood
brings in the New Year with a bang, and the skies explode with color
in all directions, including over Cancun.During the NYE countdown, there is a tradition of eating
twelve uvas de buenas suerte (grapes of good luck), each representing a month, with a toast of champagne or cider. Other customs include
cleaning your house on New Year's Eve & sweeping out bad luck.
Wearing red underwear could bring you love in the New Year, or your
white undies may bring you peace, while yellow represents wealth. Those who hope to travel, should grab an empty suitcase and carry it around the room or the block, and set it by the door. If
you drop a shoe on New Year's morn and it lands "boca arriba"
(face up) you will enjoy good luck in the upcoming year.
The
old year is represented by a life sized character called El Viejo,
The Old Man, who is later filled with fireworks and set ablaze. He may resemble a politician, and he is usually holding cigars &
tequila. Fireworks are everywhere, and their names are metralletas
(literally "machine guns" – but it means fire crackers), cañones (larger
fire crackers), voladores (rockets) in many different sizes,
chifladores (whistlers), and barre pies
("foot sweepers", that shoot sparks while spinning on the ground). Now it's
time to shop for toys for the kids for Dia de los Reyes on January 6,
and look up a recipe for rosca de reyes. King's cake, or they'll be available for sale. You eat this with
hot chocolate, and if you get the Baby...it means you'll be hosting a party & providing the tamales on Candlemas Day, Feb. 2.

The Artist's Fairs are scheduled twice a
month, on the First and Third Thursdays, at the Casa de Cultura, 4-9.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Search This Blog

Loading...

Follow by Email

MVC B&B Sponsors This Blog

...

Guests from Ontario wrote...

We have returned to Maravilla Caribe and we consider it to be a gem. Is it a luxurious resort? No. On the other hand, it's the kind of place where you feel comfortable sitting outside with a beer and watching the ocean, reading all afternoon in a hammock or going for a long walk along the shore. To sit on the patio with a plate of fresh fruit and a cup of coffee is my idea of the perfect morning. It's like having your own little private beach cottage - it's not fancy but that's not what we're looking for. A 15 minute walk takes you into the busy little town, full of great little restaurants and shops, and a $3 taxi ride will get you just about anywhere on the island. The landlord is friendly, accommodating and genuinely cares about and knows the local community. For anyone who wants a lavish package vacation, this obviously isn't the place for you - there are plenty of resorts that will fit your needs. Maravilla is a simple, lovely place to get away from it all.

Visits Since June 2011

December 2013: Taunya from Washington wrote

Hi Ronda,

I want to say thank you again for a fabulous vacation! Your studio was perfect! Having the extra space, kitchenette and dinning table made the space perfect for a long stay. Your little details like coffee filters and ice cube trays made it feel like home. I also really appreciated that you were there if I needed anything, but that you also let me have my space.

Being out of downtown, yet close to everything made the location perfect. Add the beautiful beach and it couldn't have been any better!

Thank you so much! When I return to Isla I will be back on your doorstep. Happy Holidays!

MaraVilla Caribe Bed & Beach Guests Say..

Judy from Ohio wrote...I stayed at Maravilla and absolutely loved it. Beach and patio was kept very clean and since handicapped I would spend the days on patio with my laptop at table right outside my room. Each room had table/chairs in front of room. Not many places on isla you have the beach right outside your door-saves alot of money instead of renting beach chairs and buying drinks downtown. I also do not like crowded beaches and stacks of chairs next to each other as on the north beaches. You hear absolutely no street noise just the waves hitting the shore. There were bikes free to use, beachchairs free to take to downtown, and free washer/dryer to use. The price is excellent value and the owners live there so they do not need to list with an agency giving renters better $ value. Isla is not for everyone. But condo/luxury hotels now line the once beautiful North Beach for those wanting the Cancun version of places to stay, so sad, plus $$$$. I prefer peace,quiet, and great value. Not many places with sunrise/sunset views.

Renee from Toronto wrote...

For some of us, there comes a time when we prefer peace and quiet to hustle and bustle. For a few regrettable years, I got off buses and lined up with the rest of the schmucks to check in for the all inclusive 'experience'. I set the alarm daily to head down with everyone else to make dinner reservations for the pleasure of eating soggy Sushi served by brusque Bahamians. I wore the wristband of shame, identifying me as an easy mark on any excursion. I tipped and cajoled the bartender for extra shots of rum. I listened to the drunken monologues of people who get to cut loose just once a year. With the all inclusive experience, your fate is not entirely your own...

And then I tried something else, the self catering experience - more a case of here's your key, here's your apartment, have fun! Settle in, stock your fridge, stock your bar and you're off to the races. Happy hour is whenever you choose. No lining up at a buffet. Snorkel on your own time. Open a bottle of wine and cook a leisurely dinner - no one's rushing you out for the next seating. Sleep in and eat breakfast when you want, don't worry about the dining room being closed.

That's the experience I prefer these days. And Mara Villa doesn't disappoint. You get exactly what you pay for: a clean and comfortable room with everything you need. The experience is great for people who like to 'do their own thing.' In essence, staying at Mara Villa is like having your own private beachfront villa.

Amenities include good wifi, towels, sheets, dishes, pots and pans, a fridge and freezer, drinking water, hammock hooks, and a clothesline. Bonuses include a patio with tables and chairs, a charcoal BBQ, a beach for watching the sun rise over the water, and a rooftop for watching the sun set over Cancun (also good for star gazing and extreme suntanning).

The local bus passes by the front door and costs 4 pesos to head downtown. A taxi is about $2 into town. Chedraui, the big grocery store, is less than 10 minutes away by foot. Grab a cheap cab home if you've really stocked up.

Ronda is a great host - a storehouse of island information about where to eat and what to do. Bruce, her husband, is an avid snorkeler and can point you in the best direction off their private beach for underwater wildlife. I was lucky enough to see dolphins swimming offshore one day. Close to shore I also saw a barracuda, a sting ray and a pair of graceful Caribbean squid. The usual tropical fish abound as well.

It's worth noting that Mara Villa is located on the east side of the island, windward. The shore is more dramatic and rocky, but there are very few, if any, mosquitos. The west side of the island is calmer and more traditionally 'beachy', but mosquitoes abound at dawn and dusk. With the rocky shore, you need water shoes for entering the water and swimming, but you have the beach all to yourself at Mara Villa. Head to the sublimely Caribbean style North Beach if you miss the crowds.

I spent almost a month at Mara Villa and it was the calm, casual and relaxing experience I craved. I will be back to Mara Villa, but I won't ever go back to an all inclusive.

"Isla Mujeres Delivery & Menus"

This space formerly had a promo & link for my neglected "Restaurant Delivery, Menus, & Specials" blog. I spent the past week renovating and updating the site, in collaboration with Coleena of Isla Delivery. It now has two dozen current menus & offers delivery to restaurants including Limon, Asia Caribe, Brisa's Grill, Bally Hoo, Da Luisa, Nico's, Olivias, Muelle 7, and Dopi's. And more to come...check it out HERE "Isla Mujeres Delivery & Menus"! What are you in the mood for? 11-11 daily.

Call or WhatsApp (01) 998 937 8014

My friend and I just stayed at Maravilla Caribe, December 20-25, 2012 and we had an absolutely wonderful experience. The owner, Ronda made me feel comfortable before I arrived, providing helpful information about travel to the area. She made an extra effort to secure a larger room for us, which was perfect. Maravilla is quaint, charming, clean & comfortable. We loved the bright green color of the house! The kitchenette was simple, clean and well equipped with everything we needed to prepare meals. The beds are very comfortable and Ronda provides lots of clean towels. She even offered to let us use the washer/dryer and bicycles for free! The best part (other than the low cost) is you have your own private beach in the back! It is a beautiful place that I highly recommend.

Carol D from Peterborough wrote.....

Hello I stayed at MaraVilla, la Casa Verde :-), Dec 10 to 20 this 2012 for my first time and would not hesitate to return. This is my 11th year staying on the island and I have stayed at many places. The location is amazing, and the owners have modified the patio doors so that those of us who want to hear the waves all night can do so with security. They were super helpful at every turn and what meant the most to me is that they really care about their guests and are friendly. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch together. The room was spacious and clean. At MaraVilla there are only 3 rooms facing the water so it is peaceful, quiet and private. At MaraVilla, there were workers out painting the house in front and raking the beach and it was well maintained. There were no rocks on the clean tile patio. you do need water shoes to wade in to the water but it is worth it. And if you want to go to a more perfect beach i.e. no reef etc then one could go and pay 150-200+ per night at Playa Norte (but you won't hear the waves from your bed or have the privacy or owners that care about you!!). The bed was comfortable, mattress good, sheets in good shape and clean (more than i can say about the place i had the misfortune of staying in Progresso!!). Honestly you get what you pay for in this world and if you were to go to Tulum, or San Filipe or Progresso you are sure getting much more bang for your buck at MaraVilla in the 50-65 dollar range!!! If you are a 5 star resort person I would say stay at a 5 star resort, but if you enjoy the waves, quiet, privacy and caring owners then stay at this MaraVilla the Casa Verde :-)

Noska from Austin wrote....Maravilla is one of the coolest little spots on the isla.The hosts are awesome,location perfect,rooms are clean and affordable

Music:

Fayne's has late night live music, starts ~10p

Poc Na has late night live music

El Patio House of Music on Hidlago has live music evenings, usually HH show 5p, continues at 7p.

Morgan's Restaurant & Bar - on Hidalgo live music some evenings ~7-11

La Terraza ~10-12

Fenix ~2p~5p Sundays, live music on the beach

Veradara's restaurant: live Cuban music weekend afternoons

Walk around Hidalgo at night & listen for live music

Strolling musicians working for tips available afternoons & evenings

Magic show at Poc Na Mondays at 8:30p

Click on the map for more info

And check out the Ixchel mural at MVC by Colegio Bachilleres (Aeropuerto)

Translate

Sticker & more: Order at link

MVC recommends these & we have a few to loan to guests, who say they are Very Helpful